Juan Ayuso discussion thread

[Berniece]

In stage races, Vingegaard has basically been the 2nd best on even 5 minute climbs behind Pogacar for a few years now.

In the stage race ranking of the UCI he's actually #1

 

[SHAD0W93]

Good win for Ayuso but it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the results going his way.

In the stage race ranking of the UCI he's actually #1

Vingegaard also does more stage races than Pogacar but Pogacar is the one with better results.

 

[Berniece]

Vingegaard also does more stage races than Pogacar but Pogacar is the one with better results.

Yeah it's a silly ranking. In 2025 Pogacar won UAE, Dauphine and TDF. Vingegaard Pologne and Vuelta, but because he was 2nd in Dauphine and TDF he is #1.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Yeah it's a silly ranking. In 2025 Pogacar won UAE, Dauphine and TDF. Vingegaard Pologne and Vuelta, but because he was 2nd in Dauphine and TDF he is #1.

Vingo won Algarve, not Pologne in 2025. Vuelta victory + Tour runner up gives a lot of points. Pogacar is too busy with classics and does few stage races per year.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Good win for Ayuso but it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the results going his way.

If he really got better I would expect him to be closer to Vingegaard than during Tirreno 2024 (the Dane's form will probably be lower than 2 years back, he had some setbacks and isn't the alien he used to be).

 

[YavorD]

Ayuso made the right and normal decision btw, he was degraded to 4 in line at UAE and wanted freedom.

Win-win as Ayuso gets more freedom. Good rider temu version of del toro though

Don't think Del Toro is better than him at the moment actually.
Both of them rather similar riders with Ayuso being a much better TTer. Give Ayuso the same schedule Del Toro had last year and he has double digit wins as well.
Del Toro could have improved though. The same goes for Ayuso actually as well, though not very likely, he is only a year older than the Mexican.

Both resemble Valverde to me with the latter actually excelling in long races.

 

[YavorD]

I very much look forward to Itzulia.
Ayuso vs Del Toro on these Basque climbs should be a great battle. Mix up with Seixas and it should be an amazing race.
With RvV right before and PR right after, it should make the best week of racing of the season.

 

[James M]

Don't think Del Toro is better than him at the moment actually.
Both of them rather similar riders with Ayuso being a much better TTer. Give Ayuso the same schedule Del Toro had last year and he has double digit wins as well.
Del Toro could have improved though. The same goes for Ayuso actually as well, though not very likely, he is only a year older than the Mexican.

Both resemble Valverde to me with the latter actually excelling in long races.

Already last year he lost his spot internally, wc he couldnt follow, so im not sure about the excelling more in long races part. He has an impressive sprint no doubt, but not like Del Toro.

Theyre both good and talented so for me its about trajectory and its night and day. Im pretty certain by the end of the year he’ll be a glorified temu version of Del Toro but lets see. I cheer for and rate Ayuso too hes very good/talent.

 

[James M]

I very much look forward to Itzulia.
Ayuso vs Del Toro on these Basque climbs should be a great battle. Mix up with Seixas and it should be an amazing race.
With RvV right before and PR right after, it should make the best week of racing of the season.

itzulia should be 10/10. I hadnt checked and didnt know Seixas would too thats going to be a banger no doubt

 

[YavorD]

Already last year he lost his spot internally, wc he couldnt follow, so im not sure about the excelling more in long races part. He has an impressive sprint no doubt, but not like Del Toro.

Theyre both good and talented so for me its about trajectory and its night and day. Im pretty certain by the end of the year he’ll be a glorified temu version of Del Toro but lets see. I cheer for and rate Ayuso too hes very good/talent.

I didn't mean than Ayuso excels in long races. I think he doesn't, like Del Toro.
My point was that Del Toro and Ayuso resemble Valverde as skill set, but they're not as good as Valverde was. At least not yet.

 

[Cycling111]

I very much look forward to Itzulia.
Ayuso vs Del Toro on these Basque climbs should be a great battle. Mix up with Seixas and it should be an amazing race.
With RvV right before and PR right after, it should make the best week of racing of the season.

Are you sure Ayuso would have beaten Pidcock at Emilia like that?

And in GT, while I have doubts about Del Toro in the mountains, I have even more doubts about Ayuso. Ayuso has given an even worse impression in all his GT. Del Toro's Giro is better than the GTs that Ayuso has finished.

 

[James M]

I didn't mean than Ayuso excels in long races. I think he doesn't, like Del Toro.
My point was that Del Toro and Ayuso resemble Valverde as skill set, but they're not as good as Valverde was. At least not yet.

Sure. I think thats premature tho, and severely overblowned considering he was 21 and finished 5 in Lombardia.

I think it has more to do with the fact he wasnt good enough yet vs the best or maybe something in between considering he was 21, I just think people are setting themselves up to be surprised as he continues to get stronger that will take care of itself when hes already been 5 at age 21 riding his first he can ride em.

More resemblance to Roglic to me in Del Toros early days now, which will only evolve with his rapid development

 

[YavorD]

Sure. I think thats premature tho, and severely overblowned considering he was 21 and finished 5 in Lombardia.

I think it has more to do with the fact he wasnt good enough yet vs the best or maybe something in between considering he was 21, I just think people are setting themselves up to be surprised as he continues to get stronger that will take care of itself when hes already been 5 at age 21 riding his first he can ride em.

More resemblance to Roglic to me in Del Toros early days now, which will only evolve with his rapid development

Ayuso is the more accurate resemblance to Roglic though as he is a really good TT ruder.

And no, Ayuso wasn't degraded to 4th at UAE. Everything Dep Toro did last year is well within Ayuso's reach, okay beating Pidcock in Emilia may be hard, but I wouldn't say impossible either. Probably Siena is the only thing Ayuso couldn't do, but then Ayuso is the better TTer as of now, so..

As I said, both are fairly similar riders and being the same(ish) age, both of them can improve.

 

[canina82]

Ayuso is the more accurate resemblance to Roglic though as he is a really good TT ruder.

And no, Ayuso wasn't degraded to 4th at UAE. Everything Dep Toro did last year is well within Ayuso's reach, okay beating Pidcock in Emilia may be hard, but I wouldn't say impossible either. Probably Siena is the only thing Ayuso couldn't do, but then Ayuso is the better TTer as of now, so..

As I said, both are fairly similar riders and being the same(ish) age, both of them can improve.

What Del Toro did in the Giro is yet to be done by Ayuso.

 

[Red Rick]

What Del Toro did in the Giro is yet to be done by Ayuso.

Get like 8th on the one big MTF and then ship 5 minutes+ on the queen stage?

 

[James M]

Ayuso is the more accurate resemblance to Roglic though as he is a really good TT ruder.

As I said, both are fairly similar riders and being the same(ish) age, both of them can improve.

Ayuso resembles Roglic even more indeed. Its early days, with some similarities here and there who cares.

Obviously both can improve, and I expect Ayuso to as well. His trajectory is night and day compared to Del Toros tho. Its Nvidia vs. Intel. By the end of the year it will be clear hes a temu version of Del Toro to you too

 

[Unchained]

Ayuso did a bunch of things that were absolutely essential for a good start. He rode aggressively, excellent positioning and tactics. He showed both UAE management and ex teammates that he is for real, he beat Almedia and put some of the debate about comparison and inner competition is put to rest.
He showed Trek that they made a good choice, he challenged all comers. Things will only get better for Trek and Ayuso. He looked well prepared.

 

[canina82]

Get like 8th on the one big MTF and then ship 5 minutes+ on the queen stage?

Still better than anything Ayuso has done in his career